At a campaign event, Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico quickly named Alyssa Edwards as his favorite drag queen in the state. This drag performer, known for working with children, has become a focal point in Talarico’s campaign discussions, especially concerning sexuality and gender issues.
Talarico, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, had previously made comments asserting that “God is nonbinary” and expressed admiration for Texas’s drag queens. These comments have been used against him in the Senate race.
“Mr. Talarico, so nice to meet you… I was there when you defended the drags,” remarked a man at the event, captured in video as he approached Talarico for a photo.
In the video, when asked by the man about his favorite drag queen in Texas, Talarico responded instantly, “Oh, my gosh. Probably Alyssa Edwards.” His response refers to Justin Dwayne Lee Johnson, the performer known as Alyssa Edwards, an advocate for youth drag shows.
Previous reports from the Washington Free Beacon noted Talarico’s participation in a 2021 event called “Taylor PRIDE” in Taylor, Texas, where an 11-year-old performed in drag using the name Kween Kee Kee.
Johnson, who shares his experiences in drag performance, gained recognition through platforms such as the 2018 Netflix docuseries “Dancing Queen.” At World Pride in New York, Johnson shared a poignant experience with his dance students.
When faced with criticism, Talarico’s campaign spokesperson, JT Ennis, dismissed the backlash by shifting focus onto Talarico’s Republican opponent, Ken Paxton, accusing him of leniency towards child sex predators.
Despite past controversial comments about gender and related issues, Talarico acknowledged “missing the mark”. He clarified that such remarks are distractions from more pressing issues like fuel costs under a Republican majority.
Fox News reached out to Johnson’s representatives for further comments, but no additional statements were provided. Fox News reporter Brooke Taylor, with a background in both the New York and Washington bureaus since 2013, contributed to this report.